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Broadcasts need two to bring you the game. TV needs a play-by-play announcer and a camera. Radio needs a play-by-play announcer and a color announcer.

When watching TV, you know the outcome of a play as it happens. But for radio, for excitement, you need the play-by-play announcer to tell you what is happening. It's the radio announcer that provides the excitement. For TV, it's the camera.

When I was a kid, it was exciting to hear Bill Stern call the Bobby Thompson home run when the Dodgers beat the Giants in the bottom of the ninth in '51 for the playoff victory that sent the Dodgers into the World Series (which they lost). And it was exciting to hear the announcer describe a Johnny Lujac (Notre Dame QB) throw a touchdown pass to win a game.

I like radio. Besides, I don't have to sit immobile in front of the boob tube to know what's going on.

So what's your choice?

Four boxes keep us free: the soap box, the ballot box, the jury box, and the cartridge box.

Heh, that reminds me of how much I used to look forward to hearing and watching Phil Rizzuto call games for the Yankees! He was basically nuts. He would think pop ups were home runs and his Holy Cow was famous! He also would let you know the importance of the Bunt!

Broadcasts need two to bring you the game. TV needs a play-by-play announcer and a camera. Radio needs a play-by-play announcer and a color announcer.

When watching TV, you know the outcome of a play as it happens. But for radio, for excitement, you need the play-by-play announcer to tell you what is happening. It's the radio announcer that provides the excitement. For TV, it's the camera.

When I was a kid, it was exciting to hear Bill Stern call the Bobby Thompson home run when the Dodgers beat the Giants in the bottom of the ninth in '51 for the playoff victory that sent the Dodgers into the World Series (which they lost). And it was exciting to hear the announcer describe a Johnny Lujac (Notre Dame QB) throw a touchdown pass to win a game.

I like radio. Besides, I don't have to sit immobile in front of the boob tube to know what's going on.

So what's your choice?

Hate to break this to you old boy but Bobby Thompson was a Giant, not a Dodger and it was the Giants who beat the Dodgers on that fateful day. That said, growing up in the Philadelphia area I was fortunate to be privy to great, hall of fame announcers. For the Phillies, Harry Kalas and Richie Asburn took me from my childhood and into my 30's then after Richie died, Harry the K kept going until the beginning of 2009 when he passed away where it was apropos, in the broadcast booth. Listening to him call the final out in the 2008 World Series capped off a great broadcasting career(he was cheated out of calling the winning strike out in 1980 because back then only network announcers were used. After much protest by Phillies fans, this was changed). Today, the current Phils broadcast team, at least on tv, is an insult to Harry and Richie. They are just flat out terrible blathering on and on about nonsense instead of calling the game. Here is a montage of Harry calls. I still get choked up listening to him:

But there are many great announcers for other teams. I remember getting Tigers broadcasts late at night on my little transistor radio and listening to the late, great Ernie Harwell. On TV, in the old days of cable TV, watching the Yankees on channel 11 with Bill White, Bobby Murcer, and the late, great Phil Razzuto or on channel 9 with Ralph Kiner doing the Mets games.

This brings me to another Philadelphia legend. The immortal Gene Hart. My first sports love was hockey. And with hockey, we had Gene Hart and Don Earl. Hart told a story while calling the game. The man was knowledgeable and a down right homer but that's OK. I still get chills listening to his call when the Flyers won the Cup:

Football and basketball don't have the same charm. But those old announcers were an institution. Vin Skully is probably the last of a dying breed. Nowadays sports announcers try to be witty with funny little catch phrases or nicknames instead of calling a game. Most time I watch games with the sound down. I really wish there was a "no commentary" option when watching sports games.

I love listening to the Giants radio and TV broadcast team of John Miller, Duane Kuiper, Mike Krukow & Dave Flemming. Even though the team is crap this year, they make the games palatable to listen to or watch on TV.

Solve a man's problem with violence and help him for a day. Teach a man how to solve his problems with violence, help him for a lifetime - Belkar Bitterleaf

You're absolutely right. That was my bad, and I should have known better. 'Course the Giants still lost to the Yankees in the series.

But I can't forget that fine fall day sitting in the eighth grade classroom of Mr. Brinkman, who really loved baseball, and treated us to the game on the radio.

Ah, those were the days.

One of the wonderful things about going to baseball games was bringing your transistor radio and listening to the broadcast while in the stands. Part of the charm was hearing other people's radios throughout the crowd. Back then, before the advent of fanvision and things like that, you went to the ballgame to watch the ballgame. Now, there's a million and 1 things going on and people constantly walking around. I mean, why bother going to a game if you're not going to watch the game?

Television on Friday nights and the radio other times (unless I am at the game). I don't have cable and the Rangers only have one game broadcast a week. I agree with you, though. Radio gives you a bit more freedom. You can work on the car in the garage while listening to the game.

I really don't watch or listen to other sports all that much for it to be an issue.